Between Black and White
by Ziggurat Rolsovitch
Summary: Ichigo's hollow gets sick, which result in some unpredictable and shocking turns of events that Orihime and the rest of the soul reapers get mixed up in. A life is on the line. A story that says it's not all black and white. That there's grey in between.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own this.

A/N My first Bleach story. I know this is weird, but I took an interest to Ichigo's hollow for some reason. He may be a little (cough) insane (cough) but he's cool. Gotta love those eyes.

XxXxX

Thunder and lightening filled the weeping sky. It made it all that much harder to find the hollow they knew was running around close by.

**_Come on, let me out. I'll find it in no time. _**His hollow begged.****

****'No, hollow.' Ichigo told his inner as he glanced around carefully through the pouring rain. Although… this seemed very unusual.

After a few minutes of searching, Ichigo was about to turn around and head back to Kisuke's shop and regroup with Rukia there, but right as he took a step the hollow burst through the fence to his left, throwing him a few feet away and roaring in rage.

"Ichigo!" He heard Rukia yell from a rooftop.

"I'm fine!" He shouted back, grabbing his sword and charging at the hollow. A brief slice of his weapon and it chopped off one of the beasts legs. It screamed in rage, before using crablike pinchers and clipping at him sharply.

He jumped back, pinchers just barely grazing him and tearing his robes. He cursed and felt the blood drip down his chest.

**_Hey, hey! Be careful! You're going to get yourself killed!_** His inner hollow shouted in horror. **_let me have control!_**

****'No, way!' Ichigo told him again, going straight in for another attack.

"Ichigo, wait, no!" He heard Rukia yell, she jumped down to help him, but when he looked back up he saw the tail coming straight at him. It turned out that this was not some crab-like hollow; it was actually a scorpion type one.

The stinger hit him in the side and he eyes grew wide as the burning poison traveled through his veins. In a last ditch effort he brought his sword down and chopped off the beast tail, before Rukia came down from the side and finished it off.

"Damn…" He muttered, dropping to one knee.

"Ichigo! Are you alright?" Rukia asked, kneeling besides him. "It poisoned you. We have to get you back to Kisuke shop and get something to stop it from spreading!"

XxXxX

Back at the shop, Kisuke was shocked to see Rukia rushing Ichigo in with a terrible wound. Dripping blood all over his nice clean floors. He added.

"What happened?"

"A Arachnida hollow got him and poisoned. I want the antidote and I want it now or you can say goodbye to your shop!" Rukia shouted and he sighed, holding his fan over his face to hide his frown. Ichigo was putting more and more weight on his partner, unable to support himself. He knew he was loosing consciousness.

"_That _particular antidote is the one thing I _don't _have. You need to get him to the Soul Society and fast. I'll open the door." He told her, quickly preparing. It was one of the few times she saw him dead serious.

Kisuke hurried them through the door and Rukia hurried Ichigo towards the Soul Society medical center, she didn't know what to do. It seemed like she couldn't get their fast enough and she was not one to panic in situations like this.

"Ichigo, are you hanging in there?" She asked, glancing at him, but not stopping in her brisk pace. He raised his head slightly, before it slumped forwards again.

"I can't… hear him anymore…" He whispered and she gave him an odd look. It all went black for him then.

XxXxX

Ichigo yelled when he jerked away. He quickly looked around the room, expecting it all to be a dream and awakening in his bedroom, except he wasn't in his bedroom.

It was silent, except for the soft beeping of medical equipment. That would have been normal to anybody else, but not to him.

_Hollow? Hey, Hichigo? Where are you? _He asked, but there was no answer. Lying down he closed his eyes and concentrated, before he became aware in his mental world.

He stood up and walked a short distance to the meditating figure of his Zanpakutō. The old man knew his other half was right behind him, but he still chose not to speak.

"Hey, Zangetsu do you know where my hollow is?" Ichigo asked and the figure held up a finger.

"He is here…" He then lowered the hand to the glass below him and it melted. Ichigo pressed his lips together in a thin line, before jumping down. It was a room that looked just like his own. "What is this?"

"A place your hollow created with his own energy."

"Why?"

"The rain here hurts him."

"He really can feel my emotions?" He received no answer, so instead he glanced around the darkened room and spotted his hollow on the floor. He walked to him and grabbed his robes, pulling him up off the floor and into a sitting position. "HEY! Hollow!"

"Don't yell… it hurts…" The hollow whimpered.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo asked, staring intently at the hollow. "Hollows… can they get sick?"

"The… poison…"

"The poison? But, how?"

"Looks like… you won, king…"

"No." Ichigo said firmly. "You're a part of me, Hichigo. I am not going to let you die. How can I fix you?"

"How the… hell should I know?" All of a sudden, the hollow seemed to be in immense pain and again it went totally black.

XxXxX

Rukia was heading in to check on Ichigo. She caught the sight of eyes glowing in the dark and froze; all muscles looked, before she flipped on a light.

Instead of Ichigo being in bed, it was his hollow.

"You! You're Ichigo's hollow!" She shouted, drawing her sword. However, it appeared the hollow was in no shape to fight. "Bring him back and get back in your cage hollow."

"I… tried…" He said pain clear in golden eyes. "We're… stuck in-between."

Sheathing her weapon, she quickly crossed the room and grabbed the hollow by the shoulder.

"Come on." She ordered firmly.

"Hey! Where are you taking me!"

"If they find you here and not Ichigo they're going to kill you. And if you die so does Ichigo." She sighed deeply, pulling a kimono over his shoulders and leading him out of the building. This was really stupid; it was the second time today that she had to rescue Ichigo. She was going to kick his ass when he came back. "How do you get sick?"

"…" He didn't reply and she hurried down the sidewalk, hoping it was too dark to be spotted. She would need to avoid the night patrols. "Too bad… I have control… and I can't even do anything."

"That's what you get. Now shut up and keep moving." Before she could turn the corner, a guard stopped in front of them, raising a lantern slightly.

"Rukia? What are you doing out here?" The guard asked and she quickly looked for an answer.

"Uhm… Ichigo… he's sick."

"But… the infirmary is that way…" The man frowned pointing behind her. The guard frowned even more and came closer. "He… looks awfully pale…"

Rukia tried to back up, but the guard quickly grabbed 'Ichigo' by the hair and jerked his head up to see his face.

"A hollow! What are you trying to pull, Rukia?" He asked, drawing his sword and calling for back up. Now guards surrounded them. "Look… give up the hollow and I can forget you were helping him."

"You do not understand! It's Ichigo!" She argued.

"Rukia." A voice said and the guards stepped aside at the captain.

"Onii-sama…" Rukia breathed.

"Give us the hollow." Her brother ordered and she shook her head. "Rukia, please. I do not wish to do this by force. I know how you feel, but that thing is not Ichigo."

"What if there is a way to bring him back?" She asked and her brother sighed.

"If there is a way we'll find it… if not…" He trailed, leaving a heavy air hanging above everybody. She relaxed her stance and the men grabbed the hollow, Hichigo struggled against them, trying to fight them in his weakened state, but it was useless. "You made the right choice." Her brother told her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

Then why did she feel she hadn't? Surely… her brother would not lie to her…

XxXxX

Through blurred vision Hichigo could barely make out the scientist's feet in front of him. The man seemed fascinated to have a live hollow as a lab rat.

The man chuckled and stepped forward with a very sharp scalpel and raised it to the hollow's chest. In a slight panic Hichigo struggled against the binds that held him upside down like a freshly executed deer. As soon as he escaped this person would be the first to go and then… that Rukia.

Oh, yes. She would be next. He would watch her bleed like a stuck pig… or… on second thought he might let her live. He did not want to have to listen to Ichigo complaining about it and crying over his little girlfriend. Yes, that would be annoying. More trouble then it was worth.

Suddenly the blade sunk into his flesh and he screamed, fists clenching in absolute pain. It normally would not have bothered him, but the poison that was still in him was affecting his healing.

"Ohhh… does that hurt?" The man asked, laughing as he set the scalpel aside for a bigger device of torture. He dug it into the wound and the hollow cried out.

"Yer no better then a hollow, you bastard!" Hichigo shouted, struggling even more, blood dripping from the wound down his throat and into his face.

"Hmmm… I will be right back. Don't go anywhere."

It had only been a few minutes later when the door opened again and since the pain had somewhat stopped, he really did not want to experience anymore. Luckily, it was not the scientist.

"If I die… so does your precious Ichigo…" He said quietly. "He's still alive inside of me."

Rukia was still warring with herself on what to do.

"How do I know you're not lying to save yourself? How do I know you didn't devour him?" She asked and he frowned.

"I guess you just have to take the risk… and trust a hollow. I can only assure you he's in here." He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Why can't he take control? He's the stronger one."

"How the hell should I know?" Hichigo asked in irritation. "I'm the stronger one anyway…" he muttered the last part.

"I can answer that." The scientist reentered the room with a wide grin, holding something behind his back that made the hollow worry about what terrible things were about to occur. "The poison has affected your spirit pressure. Right now… you're just as weak and defenseless as a human."

"Mayuri." Rukia greeted.

"So…?" Hichigo asked, frowning. He did not like being called weak. Yes, oh, yes that man would be the first to go.

"This gave me an idea… a hollow like the tin man. I believe I've found of a way to get rid of Ichigo's hollow once and for all."

"That's great." Rukia stated and Hichigo's eyes widened and he struggled even more, growling in anger and despair. Mayuri approached him and reached past him, deep into the whole in his heart, where he placed something and attempted to rip something out.

"Aahhh! What are you doing to me! You damn, bastard!" A blue glow seemed to surround them and Rukia brought a hand up to shield her eyes. The blue light exploded and launched the scientist across the room into a wall.

When Rukia lowered her hand with a gasp, she saw that Mayuri had Ichigo in his arms, before glancing back to the hollow.

"Hahahaha! Success!" Mayuri shouted with joy. Ichigo sat up slowly, rubbing his head.

"What the hell happened?" Ichigo asked and Rukia enveloped him in a hug before he could say another word.

"I separated you and you're hollow. You are free now, Ichigo. All that's left is to dispose of the hollow." Mayuri replied.

"How?"

"Simple. I got the idea from the fact he seemed to take on the guise of a defenseless human due to the poison… then I wondered… what if he had a heart?"

"So… you gave him a heart? Doesn't that make him human?"

"Not at all."

"But…" Ichigo started. "He isn't like other hollows. He's not the same… so… what you've done is turn him into a human."

"Ichigo… he is not a human. He's still a hollow."

"I don't understand."

"Not a human, but… close to a soul reaper right?" Rukia asked and Ichigo glanced at her, seeing a displeased look on her face. Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw his hollow holding a hand over his heart and crawling off towards the door.

His hollow had never looked so pathetic. It completely shocked him. His hollow did give off the energy of a soul reaper, but darker, stronger like a hollow still. He was something in between, but he wasn't a hollow anymore regardless of what that guy said.

"Well…" Mayuri wanted to argue, he just walked over and picked up a sword from the wall and walked slowly towards the hollow before he brought the sword down and twisted. "That could be correct… but… he's still a hollow."

Mayuri stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked out of the room, while Ichigo quickly got up and pulled the sword from his hollow and tossed it across the ground with a clatter, kneeling besides his hollow and lifting his head up slightly from the cold ground.

"Ichigo!" Rukia said in surprise, she quickly kneeled behind him and set a hand on his shoulder.

"Is he dead?" He asked.

"Ichigo…"

"Tell me if he's dead." Ichigo said, lifting the unmoving hollow into a sitting position. Rukia sighed and set her hands over the hollow's back.

"He's still alive." Rukia told him. "Ichigo… he's a hollow. They are right. He needs to be dealt with. Just think of all the trouble he's caused you."

"He's not just some hollow. I cannot let him die. Rukia… please open a door to the human world. I want to give him a chance."

"Are you kidding! You're going to drop him into the human world!"

"Please, just trust me on this one!" He begged and she sighed, obliging with his wishes. Ichigo glanced back at his hollow as he stirred slightly.

The door opened to reveal two guards, they had been sent to clean up the body, but their surprise was a missing hollow and an empty room.

"Quick! Warn the captain!" One shouted, and the other left the room quickly. He glanced around the bloody room, before turning and running after his friend.

Rukia and Ichigo came out from hiding under the desk.

"Ichigo… I sure hope you know what you're doing."

"I know what I'm doing. I just hope my hollow can get away before they catch him. They'll know where he's gone."

"Why are you protecting him?"

"I guess I owe him. He is the reason I didn't die from that hollow. He took all the poison into himself." Ichigo replied, setting a hand over his own heart. It was odd not to have that other voice in his head.

"But, why?" She asked. "I thought he wanted to take over."

"I don't know if he was doing it because he's selfish or if he really cares, but… it almost felt like… he really didn't want me to die… that's… why I want to return the favor."

"Either way… those morals of his, or lack there of… are going to be very confused now." She told him. In addition, he nodded with a sigh, pressing the heel of his hand into his eye. He hoped he made the right choice, he really did.

XxXxX

TBC...

Okay... let me know if I should continue this. I don't know if anybody has done this or not, but I wanted them to be split up. If I continue, the next chapter will be more about Hichigo and Orihime, but I don't know if I should continue yet. If enough people like this I will.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAMIER: I do not own this.

Five reviews in one day? You guys are awesome! I know this is short, but I decided to quickly write the next chapter since you're all so awesome. I really don't have this planned out, yet. I'm winging it. Ideas are welcome! (and yes, I do know what Hichgo wears are not called robes, I was just to lazy to look up how to spell what they are called) So here we go.

Ohhh... my. I just realized... I am now writing a story for Hichigo... Ichigo's dark, evil inner hollow... and... I also wrote a story for Naruto's evil monster, demon fox. Wow... I must have some weird sadistic streak. 0.o So weird. IDK these characters are just too cool to pass up writing about I guess.

XxXxX

In the human realm, it was nighttime and raining and thundering, the ex-hollow was dodging the patrols looking for him here.

His injuries were getting to him, however. Therefore, he needed to be quickly and find a dry place to hide. Finally, exhaustion and blood loss won out and he collapsed in an alleyway, with his back to a wall he looked up into the sky, before his head slumped forward.

He caught sight of his reflection in the puddle right in front of him. He really was scary, he thought as rain droplets dripped from his hair into the puddle. At that odd and out of character thought, he set a hand over his heart. He wasn't going to be able to fit into the human world looking like this, what was Ichigo thinking?

"Be careful on the way home, Inoue-chan!" A girl told the other, quickly running one way, while the girl she said goodbye to waved and held a newspaper over her head with her free hand in attempt to stop some rain from getting to her.

The girl was about to start towards him quickly when she spotted the unmoving shadow in the alleyway. It probably should not have been unusual to her, because there were usually people with no homes that usually lived in the alleyways and normally she probably wouldn't have noticed, but the streetlight above her shined down the alley and made the person more visible.

She felt bad the poor person was out in the rain, but then… what could she do about it? That was when she noticed he looked somewhat familiar.

"I-Ichigo-kun?" She asked, no longer caring about the cold rain that soaked her to the bone, she quickly walked closer to the figure. "Ichigo-kun what are you doing out here?"

"…" She was getting worried and especially panicked when she noticed the blood collecting in the puddle around him. He suddenly reached out and caught her wrist. "Sorry, Hime… I'm not who you want."

She struggled to free her wrist from his grasp when she saw piercing golden/back eyes. "A-a-are you going to eat me?" She asked and he released her.

"I'm not interested in devouring humans like my brethren. Sorry to disappoint."

"You're… what was inside of Ichigo right?" She pursed her lips when he refused to answer again. "So… did you take over him? If you did you must let him out!"

"No. We're separated now." He replied, quietly. Eyes lowering close to shutting and giving up. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him up.

"Where's Ichigo now then?" He shrugged. "Come on. You are coming with me. Hollow or not." She told him and he allowed her to pull him along, he would love to destroy some things to easy his frustration, but in his current condition, there was no way. He was weak and he hated it.

Back at her apartment, Orihime had forced the broken hollow to lie down so she could heal him. The hollow seemed to sleep the second his head hit the pillow.

When she moved down, she felt only cool skin. It surprised her to find, not a hole, but a scar over where his heart should be. In her confusion, she placed a hand over the scar and felt the faint and familiar beating of a heart.

"What are you?" Glancing out the window and watching the rain beat down upon the glass, she quickly grabbed her phone.

XxXxX

The door burst open and Ichigo ran in, stopping to lean over and catch his breath. Rukia stepped in behind him closed the door.

"I came as soon as I could." Ichigo said, looking up at Orihime. "Has he caused any trouble? How did you find him?"

"It's alright. He hasn't done anything bad, but…" Orihime trailed and pointed to the hollow sitting on the couch yelling 'darn it!' loudly. (not his preference, but Orihime had slapped him for swearing)

"What… that's my hollow?" Ichigo asked in shock, eyes widening and jaw dropping.

"No. That's your hollow on sugar high."

"Sugar? He eats that?"

"Apparently." Rukia said, cutting in and walking towards the hollow. "What is he doing?"

"I gave him a PSP." Orihime replied.

"And… he's blowing things up." Rukia responded, not completely surprised.

"Why didn't I ever think of that?" Ichigo asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "So… he's actually behaved himself?"

"Mm-hm." Orihime went to pick of a dirty plate and placed it into the sink. "Actually… he's kind of like a little puppy. He just wants to play all the time."

"A demented little puppy." Rukia said in horror as she watched the hollow cutting a gangster in half with a chainsaw.

"So… what are we going to do with him now?" Ichigo wondered to himself, rubbing his chin.

"You didn't think of that before?" Rukia asked in shock, suddenly walking over to punch Ichigo. She would have too if Orihime didn't interrupt.

"I don't mind watching him."

"You can't be serious." Rukia gave her a skeptical look.

"No. It's really fine."

"I have to agree with Rukia… we don't know what he could do. He's unpredictable." Ichigo said and Orihime shrugged.

"He hasn't hurt me yet. I mean… I've had to yell at him a lot, but… it's really fine." Orihime smiled the usual sweet smile. "The only thing I want is his name. he keeps saying he doesn't have one, but… I don't believe that."

"Well… we started getting along better, so I started calling him Hichigo." Ichigo said, shrugging. "But… I don't think he cares."

"Son of a bi-" The hollow was cut off when Orihime smacked him in the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. "Ow!"

"You know the rules. No swearing." She told him, before setting a hand over his head and mussing up white hair in apology for hitting him. Rukia and Ichigo glanced at each other with shock when all the hollow did in response to being hit was grit his teeth and mumble under his breath.

"You-you've domesticated him!" Ichigo shouted, pointing with a shaking hand at his hollow. His hollow stood up abruptly.

"No way! Keep dreaming kingy!" Hichigo crossed his arms. "'sides, she saved my life. Not like, I can kill her after that. But mark my words I am gonna kill that as- uhh… jerk that made me his lab rat."

"But you ARE free." Ichigo reminded and his hollow went silent.

"Damn! You're right, but the next person to make me mad dies. Right after I get that guy that killed Gat." Hichigo said, going back to the game.

Ichigo and Rukia glanced at one another again.

"She's domesticated him." Ichigo whispered and out of the corner of his eye, the hollow glared. "Okay how about Rukia and I stay here for a day or two to keep watch over him. Then you can watch him for awhile until we figure out what to do with him permanently."

"He can't live in the human world, that's for sure." Rukia said.

"Yeah." Ichigo agreed. "Anyways… thanks for this, Orihime. I really owe you one."

Orihime blushed and Hichigo paused in the middle of his game to give her an odd look. He looked back at his former master then back to the girl and frowned. He just went back to blowing random civilians up, wishing he had one of these so-called rocket launchers in real life. Ohh-ho wouldn't _that _be fun?

"It's not a problem, Ichigo." Orihime told him with a gentle smile. "Uhm… well… we only had a small snack. I should start dinner for us if you are going to stay."

"Here, let me help." Rukia said. The two friends never spent time together, so now would be an okay time to do so. Ichigo sat down next to his hollow and glanced at the game.

"Really, how come I never thought of this before?" He wondered. "Video games to shut you up."

"Because, you're stupid." His hollow replied and Ichigo really wanted to punch the arrogant jerk. He just wouldn't do it here, because he did not want to get blood on his friend's carpet.

"You're going to need some clothes as well aren't you? You're still the same size as me, so I guess I can give you some of mine." Ichigo said, crossing his arms and staring at his former other self.

"I hope you two aren't fighting." Orihime said from the kitchen.

"They better hope they're not." Rukia's voice cut in and both men froze momentarily. Remembering horrible hits to the face that usually resulted in rushing steams of blood from various injuries.

Rukia sighed as she started to set the table. "So he really hasn't caused any trouble?"

"Well…" Orihime said slowly. "I think he really enjoys creeping me out. He is mischievous, hardheaded and arrogant… but he has not done anything really bad. I was kind of expecting worse then a few broken household items."

"I can't say that I would have taken him in to easily."

"Well… he is a part of Ichigo isn't he? Therefore, there has to be good in him somewhere. He sometimes gets that determined look like Ichigo gets when he's destroying things in that game of his." She laughed quietly and Rukia smiled at the thought.

"Maybe you're right, but he runs on instinct. You have to promise me you'll be careful around him and if he makes any suspicious moves, then use everything within your power to stop him."

"Don't worry. I can handle myself." Orihime assured her friend with a smile.

"And one more thing?"

"Sure."

"Try to find less violent games for him." They both laughed quietly at that.

At dinner, Ichigo watched his hollow shovel food down like there was a bottomless pit far down in his stomach. Even he himself could not eat that much!

"Yeah, he really likes food." Orihime said. "That's why I made a lot."

"He's never even had food." Ichigo replied, staring at his hollow and sighing deeply. "He's going to get sick."

"Hey! I can eat whatever I want!" His hollow argued loudly after swallowing a mouthful. "You're not in charge of me anymore."

"I'm just trying to stop you from getting a stomachache! Go ahead then. Get one!"

"Boys…" Rukia said in a warning tone. Ichigo went silent, but his hollow scoffed and a few minutes later ended up with a bloody nose.

After dinner, everyone had settled in and Rukia and Ichigo had gone to sleep on the floor in the living room, while Hichigo had disappeared to sleep in the bathtub, muttering something about not getting stuck in Ichigo's head again. Orihime of course had gone to her room to get some rest.

It had been raining since yesterday. It brought back many memories for him as he thought about it and it was still odd not to have to listen to his hollow complaining inside his head anymore was still a strange feeling.

A few moments later, a scream echoed through the apartment and Ichigo and Rukia sat up at the same time.

"Orihime!"

XxXxX

TBC...

Audible gasp! Hichi! What'd you do? Review to find out. ;)


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAMIER: I do not own this.

Wow, did this take me forever to write or what? Heh... oh well. Why the cliffhangers you ask? Why? Because I can. And as for IchigoxRukia, I don't really care either way, so I'll leave it open. You can decide what happens between them when they're not around. I only really like Hichi, so... it's about him, not everybody else.  
>And no, I do not have a problem with Kisuke's girlfriend (forgets her name, duh?) I like her, just not with him.<p>

XxXxX

"Orihime!" he pushed the door open and saw the hollow in the room sitting at the bottom of the bed, while Orihime was sitting up with tears streaming down her face. Ichigo grabbed the hollow and slammed him into a wall and… Hichigo ended up with a bloody nose for the second time that night. "What did you do to Orihime?"

"I didn't do nothin'!" He replied and punched Ichigo in the gut as revenge for his face. Ichigo raised his fist to hit him again.

"Girls don't cry for no reason!" Ichigo yelled, ready to destroy his hollow.

"Ichigo, wait!" Orihime said, and Rukia even paused, prepared to restrain the two. "He didn't do anything. It was just a nightmare. He surprised me is all."

"What was he doing in here in the first place?" Ichigo asked, not lowering his first and not taking his eyes off his target. "What thing were you planning on doing?"

"I wasn't doing anything. I… thought maybe she was being attacked by something. You can hear everything through the wall." Hichigo told him, tapping the wall with his knuckles.

"So you wanted to protect her? Why?" Ichigo still didn't believe him, first raising again.

"I told ya' already. I owe her since she saved me."

"No. It's more then that. I know you; I lived with you inside my head. Not unless you-" He paused and stared into Hichigo's eyes for a moment. "No, way. You've got some weird obsession don't you? That or you're… just… no way."

"Watcha talking about? I don't have any obsession you dumb ass. I already told you." The hollow denied the allegations. They could distantly hear Orihime begging them not to fight.

"I swear if you do anything to hurt her-"

"I'm not gonna!" Hichigo shouted back. Across the room they head the sound of Rukia's phone going off, she flipped it open and looked at Ichigo.

"We're being called in…" She trailed. Ichigo slammed his hollow back into the wall before walking out with Rukia. "You're going to trust him here alone with her after that?"

"He isn't going to hurt her." Ichigo replied, as they exited the apartment.

"How can you be sure?"

"He lived in my head. Trust me. I know."

XxXxX

Orihime sighed as she pressed a wet rag underneath Hichigo's nose. He didn't seem very happy about being punched for the second time that night.

"Well… you should know better then to sneak up on me while I'm asleep." Again, she sighed. "You just can't help yourself can you?"

"How come you're bein' nice to me even after I scared ya'?" He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly, reminding her of a puppy.

"Why not?" She guessed he just didn't understand. He was an ex-hollow after all and he had been born in _Ichigo's_mind. "Did you really mean that when you said you were worried?"

"Well… I do owe ya' and… there's not only hollows, there's all that human shit. Whatever they do..." He said in annoyance, noticing she allowed him to get away with his word.

"You don't owe me anything. So don't worry about that."

"Yes, I do." He argued and she wasn't sure what to say to him now. "Now, I just gotta get back to that place and murder that damn scientist."

"You can't go around and kill people." She scolded and he pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"'Course I can. I can do whatever I want now and I wanna kill that guy."

"Why do you want to go around destroying things?"

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"Because…"

"Yes?"

"Uhm…" Hichigo paused and his gaze flicked around the room. "Err…"

"You don't know do you?" Orihime asked, setting a hand on top of his head and forcing him to look up at her from his seated position. "There has to be a reason."

"Well it's fun. What else am I suppose to do?"

"So… what you're saying… is that you're bored." She said slowly and he nodded, wanting her to continue speaking. The truth was, he liked Orihime, because she explained things to him and helped him understand himself. "So you destroy things because you're bored. What you need to do though… is be creative and not destructive."

"How do I do that?"

"Well… you'll have to find something you enjoy that's creative." Orihime yawned and ruffled his hair a little. In an odd way he was like a cute puppy version of Ichigo, she just couldn't help it. "It's late and I have school in the morning. So, please, go to bed."

"Is your nightmare better?" He asked quietly as she got to the door. She paused at the odd tone to his voice, almost a slight fear.

"Yes." She assured quietly. "Why are you asking?"

"In Ichigo's head… I had to live through his."

"That's right. You did have to live in his head. I keep forgetting that. Did you ever have nightmares, Hichigo?" There were a few moments silence.

"No."

"And now?" She pressed gently.

"His nightmares became mine." He raised his hands to look at his open palms, before clenching them shut. "I can't… understand these feelings I have… now…"

She smiled at him and he tilted his head to the side. "I'll help you figure out your feelings. I promise."

"Can I be helped?"

"Of course, you can. I won't give up on you. I promise." He had a skeptical look at her answer, with that creepy set in place grin. "Goodnight." She told him and flicked the light off, while closing the door behind her.

XxXxX

The next morning, Orihime had kicked him out so she could take a shower, so he begrudgingly grabbed his blanket and pillow from the bathtub and made his way to the couch.

After sitting there for a while, he saw her exit the bathroom and quickly go to the fridge and grab a few things out. She warmed up some food and set a bowl on the coffee table in front of him. It confused him to no end to see her in such a rush.

His eyes widened slightly as he watched the water drops from her still slightly wet hair drip along her throat. His instinct told him to capture her and lap up that water and what was Hichigo but instinct? Well… he caught her around the waist and she froze.

"What are you-" She winced as he ran his tongue along her throat, before a smack resonated through the air. "Don't do that." She stated calmly, unphased, or at least pretending to be so he wouldn't do it again, because she knew that if he knew, he would do it even more.

"Ow!"

"Okay, I warmed up some left over rice and chicken from dinner last night since I don't have time to make you breakfast." She grabbed her jacket and headed to the door. "And Hichigo, please be good while I'm at school. You've got that thinking look on your face, just watch some movies or finish your video games and DON'T break anything."

With that, she was out the door and he was left alone in the apartment, looking around the empty space with confusion.

"How do I watch movies?" He asked into the empty space. "Wait… I'll figure this out if Ichigo can."

Now he was determined. If that idiot could do anything here, then he certainly could and he could do it better. Well… he certainly did wonder what Orihime saw in Ichigo. Ichigo was stupid and he couldn't see that Orihime liked him even if she wrote a note and stapled it to his forehead.

He opened the creaking door underneath the T.V as he had seen Orihime do and investigated the tapes, something about a Notebook, The Princess Bride, Legend and A Very Long Engagement. He frowned, it all looked so boring and… and… ugh. As he had heard Ichigo say… girly.

Stupid movies, he could be killing people right now. That would be much better then all these girly things here. No, wonder that girl had a crazy imagination. He picked up a random tape, but when he pulled it out it cracked and parts of it broke. His eyes grew wide. A look of 'oh, shit' crossed his face and he quickly stuffed the tape back into its case.

He jumped back to sit on the couch, but the T.V suddenly went on and he shouted in shock, flipping over the back of the couch. Poking his head up he saw he sat on the remote. Oh, that explained it. Not like she could magically come back to the apartment and smack him… could she?

So instead he picked up the remove and fiddled with it, hitting random buttons until the channel changed to a lion killing a gazelle.

"Ohhh…" He grinned widely. "I like."

So the hollow watched various big cats devastating smaller animals, before it ended and there was nothing else on. He sighed deeply and looked up at the clock, wishing Orihime would hurry up and get home so he wouldn't be so bored. Then he could bother her and laugh inside at that nervous looked she made when he got too close.

XxXxX

At the school Orihime hoped that Hichigo wasn't getting into too much trouble. Then she winced and thought of what chaos he might be inflicting on her apartment.

It was almost time to go home anyway, at least there was that. All she had to do was get through lunch and the rest of her classes. She looked over to find Ichigo and Rukia sneaking into the lunchroom, but there was no doubt that the teachers were going to yell at the two for skipping school without warning.

They took their places next to her.

"I brought some clothes for you to give him." Ichigo set a backpack besides her. "Has he been okay?"

"Yes, fine." She replied. "Why did you get called in last night?"

"We got interviewed on our whereabouts during Hichi's escape. Luckily, Renji covered for us and said we were with him. We managed to explain it to him and he's helping us find a place for my hollow." Ichigo said and she nodded.

"Captain Toshiro and Momo are also working with Renji. If we can get him far enough out in the desert he'd never be bored again." Rukia stated. "I haven't been able to contact Kisuke."

"I'll talk to him on the way home," Ichigo replied. "I'm probably going to stop over soon and check in on my hollow as well."

"You don't have to, Ichigo, he's fine." Orihime told him and he smiled, making her blush. "R-really."

"I really owe you for this one, but I just want to make sure he's behaving himself."

XxXxX

Ichigo yawned and entered Kisuke's shop. He stretched and walked to the counter, nobody was there, so he headed down to the training grounds underneath. That was when he spotted Hiyori and Kisuke; he stared for a good few minutes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Oh, Ichigo." Kisuke said, looking up from the current engagement. Ichigo quickly turned around and pressed a hand over his eyes.

"I didn't see anything!" Ichigo shouted.

XxXxX

Cautiously, Orihime opened the door to her apartment, but surprisingly… everything looked perfectly fine. Except for the rice pieces dropped on the coffee table it was clean and Hichigo was asleep on the couch.

Walking over to the couch, she reached down, pulled the blanket over him, and brushed his hair from his eyes. She blushed a little bit, because he looked so much like Ichigo. But he wasn't Ichigo, he may be part of him, but he wasn't him so she didn't have those kinds of feelings towards him.

One golden eye cracked open slightly, before he woke up fully.

"Finally… it took ya' long enough to get back. T.V is boring." He stated in displeasure, he frowned when she giggled quietly. "What?"

"Your hair is all messy." She told him. "We're going to have to give you a bath."

"A bath? Why do I need that?"

"Because you're dirty and normal people take baths."

"I ain't normal people." He scowled and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Don't make me get the news paper." She warned and poked him in the nose, making him scowl even more. Begrudgingly, he got up and walked to the bathroom. Orihime sighed; _he is just like a little kid. _She turned on the shower and found him staring oddly at the water, a strange glint in his eyes.

He cautiously approached and stuck his hand under it and she saw a surprised looked cross his features at some sort of revelation.

"Hey, it doesn't hurt."

"Why would water hurt you?" She asked in confusion and he didn't answer. "The water won't hurt, but…" She grabbed a bottle and placed it in his hands. "If you get this in your eyes it will, you use this in your hair just keep your eyes closed."

"Eh?" He made a displeased sound and stared at the bottle.

"And don't try to eat it either." She warned, not even having to look to know he was about to lick the bottle. She set a towel on the counter, along with a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt, before she exited the room and left him alone. She had to admit it worried her just a little.

Half an hour later, the hollow carefully exited the bathroom, with another odd look on his face. It felt odd to be out of what he usually wore. Orihime patted the spot on the couch and he sat down, while she moved behind him and brushed his hair out, making it extra fluffy.  
>Hichigo was surprised he actually didn't mind her doing that, in fact, he thought it felt kind of nice and he even tilted his head back a little.<p>

"There. See? That wasn't so bad." Orihime had put on one of those movies, something about a beauty and a beast. He frowned, boring girly movies, but then some wolves were mauling a dude and it was suddenly the best movie ever. "What?"

"I don't get it…" He said suddenly. "How'd the little cup get there? Did Mrs. Potts drunk one night off of Windex and have a fling with a china bowl?"

"Oh! You." She pushed him back and he fell backwards onto the couch. "You're worse then Ichigo."

He quickly sat up again and watched the slight smile on her face. He didn't get it, wasn't she mad at him for ruining the movie? He crawled up behind her and she tensed, knowing he was up to something odd again.

He leaned forward and inhaled slowly, the breath escaped him suddenly when she elbowed him in the ribs, not hard enough to be painful, but enough to surprise him and force him away. And… it was enough to force his aggressive side to tell him he didn't have to put up with that. He grabbed her tightly around the waist, so that she couldn't fight back against him and pulled her close as he could.

He buried his face in-between her should and neck. Staying there and not moving, even as she struggled against him. When she realized she wasn't getting anywhere this way, she decided she would have to find another way to get him off her.

"Y-you know I can erase you f-from existence!" She warned him firmly as possible, even though her voice was shaking.

"You can… but you won't. You're too nice." He hummed and held her tighter in his arms. "Relax, Hime… I just like your smell."

She made a face, but allowed him to sit there for a while. His breath was warm against her skin, it felt so odd. What made it even worse was the fact that he looked like Ichigo, she blushed at that thought. She knew she should not think of Ichigo like that.

As she sat there, the credits on the movie started and she wondered if he had fallen asleep. Or maybe he had somehow-

"What are you thinking?" He asked, finally letting go of her, reluctantly to say the least. "Yer thinking about Ichigo. Ya' got that look on yer face."

"Wha-what look?" She quickly brought her hands up to her face, almost as if maybe she could feel the look he mentioned. "I don't have a look. Why would I think about Ichigo just then anyway."

"Because, you want Ichigo to hold you instead." He got that thinking look on his face and she got worried about what he might do.

"You don't know what you're talking about." She said and pouted, causing another look to cross his face in confusion. "I've got to get up early for school, so I'm going to bed." He frowned now, before grabbing his blanket and pillow and heading to the bathroom. "You know you can sleep on the couch right?"

He didn't reply and closed the door behind him. She sighed deeply. This was not good.

XxXxX

A couple days passed like this and Orihime wondered when Ichigo was going to find a place for his hollow. She had to admit that now it was getting a little difficult to live with him, not because he did anything terrible, but because their close proximity made her think about her feelings for Ichigo.

Before his hollow came to live with her, she was able to pretend and lie to herself about her feelings, but now she couldn't. Rolling over in bed, she sighed deeply, before she heard a noise in the other room. Fear overtook her and her mind began to wander.

What if it was a burglar?

What if there was some monstrous hollow that was drawn to Hichigo's presence and they would team up and kidnap her?

What if it were the Soul Society coming to look for Hichigo here?

Or… Hichigo is just stealing a piece of cake from the fridge. Again. She calmed down at that thought and got out of bed to find him kneeling in front of the fridge. Oh. Now she felt dumb.

"What are you doing up so late?" She asked, rubbing at a sleepy eye. As usual, he ignored her, but she spotted the dark liquid dripping from his fingers and she quickly flicked on the light. "Hichigo!"

"What? It was its own fault! They break too easy." He grumbled, still trying to clean up the broken bits of glass from the plate he dropped.

"Oh… put that down, you're hurt." She grabbed his arm and led him over to the sink, running cold water over his hand.

"Ya' ain't mad?" He asked in confusion.

"Of course not. It is just a plate, Hichigo. You're more important then it is."

"I am?" He scratched his head with his free hand.

"Yes, why would you even have to ask?" She sighed, grabbed a rag from the counter, and wrapped his hand up. He quickly leaned down, but she already knew what he was attempting, so she turned her face away, leaving him blinking in surprise. "Okay. No more romance movies. They give you ideas."

"Eh?" He was confused again.

"Go to bed. It's late. You can have cake in the morning." She told him and he frowned, he hated being treated like a kid.

XxXxX

The next day, Hichigo sighed deeply and tapped his fingers against the side of the couch; he was so bored while Orihime was at school. He was all alone with nobody to talk to; at least in Ichigo's head he had the old man. Well not to say he wanted to be back in Ichigo's head, but he was just musing.

Finally, he had had enough, so he grabbed a coat, sunglasses and a hat, before heading out. He could at least meet her there right?

XxXxX

Orihime sighed and stretched, glad to finally be out of school, Tatsuki was walking besides her and talking about some odd adventure, she'd had during gym class.

She froze and a small yelp escaped her when she saw the familiar hollow waiting by the gates. He didn't move and Tatsuki paused.

"Who the heck is this guy?"

"Oh… no. What is wrong with him? I told him to stay out of trouble not look for it." Orihime wondered aloud, pressing a hand over her eyes.

"You know that guy?"

"Yes."

"How so?"

"Uhm… he's staying with me." She replied and Tatsuki's jaw dropped.

"Staying? As in… staying?"

"Oh, no… not like that. He's just staying until he has a place to go permanently. I had better go get him before he gets into trouble. Bye Tatsuki-chan. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, be careful!"

"Hichigo!" Orihime scolded him and he frowned. "You know better, what if you get caught here? Then we're both in trouble."

"Nobody's gonna catch me. 'sides… I was bored!"

"Trouble maker!" They heard a voice shout and looked over to find Ichigo approaching angrily. "Go back home you jerk!"

"Ah, it's kingy." Hichigo said, unhappily and watched Orihime's blush. Damn he hated that guy. She handed Hichigo her notebooks, forcing him to carry them for her.

"I've got it covered." She told Ichigo and he glared at the hollow.

"Ugh…" Ichigo groaned.

"Have you found anything, yet?" Orihime asked and Ichigo shook his head, an apologetic look on his face as he offered a quiet apology.

"Why are you so eager to get rid of me anyways?" Hichigo asked, very unhappy. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but it kind of hurt to not be wanted anywhere. She didn't answer but grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along with her.

"We are trying to find a place." Ichigo said, walking besides them. "It's just hard to do underneath the society's nose. They're security is way up since he escaped."

"I-its fine, Ichigo-kun." She told him and not even looking she sighed and scolded the hollow. "Don't lick!" Ichigo looked over to find his hollow attempting to lick the notebook, but froze from Orihime's warning.

"How'd you know he was going to-"

"He licks everything." She shuddered slightly. "I can't break of him that."

"A handful, huh?" Ichigo laughed a little.

"I don't know how you put up with him." She replied quietly and Hichigo pressed his lips together in a thin line. This was pissing him off, seeing Ichigo get what he wants.

"Hey, quiet talkin' about me like I ain't here!" They continued to ignore him and his mind went through what to do, but somehow he ended up with his face in the dirt.

"Well, well, well." A man said, apparently the culprit that tripped him. "What do we have here?"

XxXxX

TBC...

Ohhh, no! Hichi! Stop getting everybody into trouble! And, and... writer! Stop leaving everybody at cliffhangers! Muha. Anyways... You guys want to find out what happens next, you know what to do. 0.o

It's gonna to take awhile, but I also want to do a HichixHime fic to Beauty and The Beast! Won't that be fun? I think it will. So... them watching the movie was epic forshadowing to my next fic, but I have to go out and buy the movie when I get time and first off finish a few stories I'm working on right now.

See you next chapter guys! God Bless! )


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAMIER: I do not own this.

Okay, so... since I've only seen a little bit of Bleach... let's say this is a little bit of an AU, because I just made some things up that I'm not sure of. I do not know if anybody replaced Aizen or not... so... yeah.

XxXxX

"Well, well, well." A man said, apparently the culprit that tripped him. "What do we have here?"

"Ya' trippin' the wrong guy, fella." Hichigo said, dusting himself off as he got up, not noticing that Orihime and Ichigo were mouthing 'no' to him.

"Hey! Who do you think you're talking to?" The older man asked, suddenly flanked by two others.

"Ohhh… are we gonna fight now?" It didn't take long, before a brawl broke out and Ichigo was about to jump in, but Hichigo quickly knocked out all three. First, with a quick straight punch to the man that tripped him and then he grabbed the other two and cracked their heads together, effectively knocking them out. "Naw, that was too easy!"

"Hichi! You idiot!" Ichigo scolded, a panicked look crossing his face. "Those guys are yakuza!"

"So?" Hichigo asked.

XxXxX

Ichigo tossed Hichigo into the apartment, and he crashed into the coffee table. Orihime winced, not too happy with either of the boys.

"Ichigo… don't be so mean to him." She asked and he sighed.

"You're right, but you!" Ichigo said, pointing at his hollow. "You are going to behave and not sneak out anymore or I'm going to give you up to the Soul Society! Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Alright… I've got to get home. Call if you need anything?"

"I will." Orihime said and closed the door behind Ichigo as he left. She then turned towards Hichigo and gave him a disapproving look. She felt some pity for him though. Ichigo had been awfully mean, after all, the hollow was only a child in his mind, and he needed to be treated like one. With love and discipline.

"Hichigo…" She said softly and watched golden eyes flick up to meet hers. "If you want to go outside… ask and I'll take you, but don't sneak out. Okay?"

He sighed deeply, irritation and frustration was clearly portrayed in his body langue. In surprise, she watched as he got up from the floor and collapsed onto the couch, unmoving.

He gave up. He wasn't wanted anywhere, it would be for the best if the Soul Society would come and take him. At least if he was dead he wouldn't be bored and lonely anymore. He wouldn't be a bother anymore to anyone. He was… a nuisance.

Orihime furrowed her brow when he didn't reply or say anything at all. Was he sick? She wondered as she stepped closer to set a hand on the side of his face. He didn't feel warm.

"What's the matter?" She asked him. Still nothing. "How about I make your favorite dinner? Hichigo? I'm going to get it started."

However… at dinner, he hardly ate a thing, just stared at the plate and pushed food around in an absent manner. Orihime was beginning to worry about him; this was very unusual for him. He was usually so exuberant with the way he went about things.

And after that, he went straight to bed. Now she was really worried, no arguing, no fighting. He just silently disappeared. She picked up the phone and quickly called Ichigo.

"Yes?" A tired voice answered.

"Ichigo…" Orihime started. "I think something is wrong with your hollow."

"What? Like what?" Ichigo asked. "He hasn't done anything bad has he?"

"No, but he wouldn't eat dinner and he just went straight to bed."

"You're right. That is weird."

"He won't say anything either."

"Okay. That is worrying." Ichigo sighed deeply. "Do you need me to come over?"

"No, no." Orihime said. "I can handle it. I just don't know what I should do with him. Is there anything you can think of?"

"No. Nothing. Maybe he just needs a rest. He has been through a lot since he got out of my head… and… not to mention he is in this world and not the other. Maybe it's draining him?"

"I see."

"Orihime?" Ichigo asked in confusion.

"I'll let you get to bed since it's late. I'll talk to you in the morning." She said, saying bye as they hung up. Now she had to figure out what to do with the hollow.

XxXxX

In the early morning Hichigo woke up rather late and figured Orihime had already gone off to school, but then remembered she'd have to kick him out so she would be able to shower. He frowned, maybe she skipped it?

He carefully opened the door and looked out.

"Finally awake?" Orihime asked, and he stared at her absently for a few moments. "I made breakfast."

"Don't you have to go to school?"

"I called in sick so I can stay home and spend the day with you, since you seemed so down yesterday."

"Why would you do that for me?" He asked cautiously, one eye growing wider then the other in an odd way.

"I was a little worried about you." She told him, taking his hand and leading him to the table to sit.

"You really want to spend time with me?"

"Well… I guess I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have gone through so much trouble." At her words her stared at her, unblinking for a few moments. "You better be grateful. I'm going to have extra homework now." He might have been worried, but she said it in a way that conveyed humor rather then anger.

"I… see…" He replied slowly. She smiled gently at him and he tilted his head a little bit to the side. She knew he really 'didn't' see. He was just saying it. "But you can't wait to get rid of me. Right?"

"Actually… I'd be a little lonely here in this big apartment all alone. It's been nice to have somebody else here." She said and he looked at her in shock. "And nobody else seems to like my cooking very much."

She laughed a little and he grinned at her with that familiar grin.

After dinner, Orihime was telling him to hurry and get cleaned up, before she lead him out onto the balcony where there were a few plants and various flowers.

"Here, I want to show you something." She picked out a package with seeds in it and handed the packs to him.

"You want to show me… these…" He tried to find the word.

"Flowers." She spoke softly and he nodded.

"Flowers…" He repeated and glanced around the baloney at all the flowers and his eyes were brought onto the closed one. "What's… this one?"

"Tsuki hana?"

"Mmmm…" He was silent, while staring at him.

"When it blooms it looks like this," She said, pulling one of the packages from his hand and setting it on top. "But only at night." He stared at the picture of the white flower and then looked back to the sleeping plant in front of him. "I thought you might like to try something creative, like we talked about."

"Like we… talked about." He said slowly, furrowing his brow. Surprised she even remembered.

"Yes, what flowers do you like best? We'll start with that one." She told him, smiling cheerfully at him as she waited for his answer.

"The white one…?" He tried, handing the other packages back to her.

"That's a good choice." She affirmed and set the other seed packages aside and opened the one he liked. She opened his hands and turned them up, dropping a few seeds in his hands. He tilted his head again, in confusion. "Now… we just plant them in dirt and water them and take care of them." She told him, and patted the spot next to her, where he kneeled and dropped them into the black dirt in the pot.

She set her hands over his and pushed dirt shallowly over the seeds then and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Now?" He asked, unsure of what else to do.

"Now go get some water." She informed and he got up and headed inside, before coming out with a cup of water. He kneeled besides her once more and glanced at her for assurance, before pouring the water over the freshly planted seeds. "There you go… now just keep taking care of it every day and it will grow into a beautiful flower."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

XxXxX

So for the next few days, he took care of the flower, just as Orihime had told him to and she watched with an amused smile, as he was so excited that the flower had started to sprout into a tiny leaf in its first stages of development.

In after the next few weeks, Orihime allowed him to pick her up at school, since he had really begun to behave himself, to which he enjoyed the time getting out of the apartment. Although due to many various questions as to this suspicious person that picked her up, he was Ichigo's cousin.

A believable fib kept them all out of trouble. Ichigo seemed non-too-happy about his hollow running around, but eased up a little when she assured him that he was no trouble.

He seemed happy enough to see her after school, maybe after all this time… he was finally content with the world and himself.

"Hichigo." Orihime said, and he took her books from her, getting use to her handing them to him. "How was your day?"

"Good. I talked to my flower. He's getting bigger." Hichigo told her exuberantly.

"Yes, and soon your flower will bloom and it will be the most beautiful out of them all." She assured and he grinned at her.

"You think?" He asked, excited.

"I'm sure of it." She turned and walked backwards for a few minutes and he smiled a large smile. "You know what else I'm sure of?"

"What?"

"That I can beat you home!" She shouted and turned, running.

"No, head starts are cheating!" He yelled and ran after her, she laughed as she turned a comer, knowing he was catching up.

"No, no! Hichigo!" She cried as he finally caught her with an arm around her waist, both still laughing loudly and drawing the attention of a few people passing by. She should have known she couldn't out run him.

"Pst. Too easy." Hichi scoffed, however amused he was, he wouldn't admit it. Therefore, he went about pretending to be bored now.

"Oh, quit." She scolded playfully. She sighed slowly made her way to the small park and took a seat on the bench closest to her.

"What are ya' doin'?" Hichigo asked. She didn't answer him, trying not to smile. He blinked a few times and sat down besides her. "Come on… talk to me! I'm bored!"

"It's been less then five seconds." She pouted and he jerked back a little, as if her words physically hit him. "Don't you ever run out of energy?"

"Why are we just sitting?"

"Because, I want to enjoy the weather. It's nice outside." She told him and he gave her that look again, that look of not understanding. He set the books aside, before grabbing her hand; she raised an eyebrow as he placed it over his heart.

"You… make my heart do odd things, Hime." Through the sunglasses, she could see the faintest traces of golden eyes, before she pulled her hand from his and looked down at the ground.

"Hearts are just odd like that sometimes." She knew she should not deny his feelings. That it was wrong, but… humans and hollows… it was just impossible. Besides, she loved Ichigo. Even if he did not love her back.

"No… only for you." He stated matter-of-fact. "It only beats for you."

"Don't say that." She whispered.

"But, it's truth!" He said rather loudly, she glanced at him again, able to see the pain that flooded through his eyes. She stood up and looked down at him, while he sighed and looked at the ground. "Would you rather I lie?"

"No." She told him softly and hugged him gently.

"It… burns…" He shuddered slightly at her hug and she laughed quietly. He felt a drop of wet land on his cheek and he wondered if it was raining, but looking up he found that wasn't the case. He quickly stood up. Had he made her cry?

"I'm sorry…" Orihime whispered, hiding her face in his shirt. "I… can't love you the way you want."

"Because… you love Ichigo?" He asked and she nodded. "He doesn't love you back though…"

"I know, but it doesn't matter. I'll love him anyway."

"Then…" Hichigo said quietly. "I'll love you anyway."

"Hichigo?" She said softly, looking up at him. It was Ichigo's determination in his eyes.

"Oi! School boy!" A voice shouted and he looked over to be very surprised. Hichigo grabbed Orihime and pulled her behind his back. "You the one that beat up my boy?" The man gestured to his friend, with a bandage over his broken nose. The same guy Hichigo punched for knocking him out.

"Yeah, what of it?" Hichigo asked, glaring.

"What of it?" The man held his arms out dramatically, before he reached into his jacket. "I don't think you quiet get the severity of your situation." He pulled a gun out of the inner pocket and shot Hichigo in the knee.

He winced and dropped onto the injured knee, making a painful impact with the hard ground; Orihime yelled his name and kneeled besides him. She was surprised when he only started to laugh darkly at his injury.

"Hehehe… and what kinda situation am I in?" Hichigo asked, looking up at the man. This man seemed very surprised that this student wasn't afraid. Anybody else would have wet themselves by now.

"Let's just kill him boss!" The man that he'd hit shouted, clenching his fists in anger.

"Shut up." His boss told him, before he held a hand out and a man tossed him a baseball bat. Hichigo saw it and quickly shoved Orihime back while the man took a quick stepped swing and caught Hichigo in the face.

"Stop this!" Orihime shouted and grabbed the man's coat. He shoved her off him and splintered the baseball bat over the back of Hichigo's head. The glasses had fallen off now and when he looked up the man let out a terrified gasp.

"I was willing to let you hurt me…" Hichigo muttered, before slowly standing up. "but when you hurt her… you die." He grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him off his feet, before tossing him back, where he landed on the man with the broken nose.

"Ugh! Kill them!" The boss shouted, finally angered with the blow to his pride. The rest of the man's minions came at him and his lips twitched up into a smile. Finally, he was going to fight.

He darted left and jumped over the bench, landing on his side he rolled onto his back and kicked the man that came after him in the jaw with his good leg, before he rolled underneath the bench to the other side and grabbed the broken part of the bat, he tossed it and hit another man in the head with it, knocking him out cold.

He laughed that dark laugh of his when a man tried to come after him with a knife.

"Too slow!" Hichigo shouted and brought a knee up into the man's gut, before picking him up and tossing him into their boss, hurting the man and his pride even more. Another man tried to come after him, but he dodged his punch and grabbed the back of his head, before slamming his face into the bench.

The man with the broken nose looked around at all his buddies that were all injured badly and unable to move or fight anymore.

"Y-you bastard!" The man shouted, and as he came after Hichigo, he was somehow tripped and when he looked up, he yelled in horror as Hichigo dropped as full trashcan over his head and it all went black.

"That's that." Hichigo said, dusting his hands off. "Now, it's your turn."

He started towards the shaking boss. The man cried out and backed up, but his leg was injured and he was unable to go anywhere. Just as he grabbed the man by the throat and he was about to crush him like dust.

"P-please! I won't bother you anymore! Let's be friends!" The boss begged and Hichigo pretend to think about it.

"Hmmm… nope. Sorry."

"Hichigo! Stop! Don't do this." Orihime shouted at him, she only wished she were strong so she could have stopped all this. Even if these people were bad, he should not kill anybody. "You can't kill people!"

Hichigo dropped the man and turned towards her. "And why not?"

"Because, it's not right!"

"Right?"

"Haven't I taught you? You know better… you cannot kill people. It's wrong." She told him and watched his stance relax a little.

"I can't… kill people. I've killed people before."

"You've killed hollows before. It's not the same thing!"

"Oh?" His eyes changed and he was about to say something else, before he suddenly chocked up some blood. Turning he found that little sneaky rat had stabbed him in the back, he came face to face with a gun now. "I let her distract me…" He frowned a little at this, he was like Ichigo. He didn't like that fact.

"You! You think I would let you do this to my boys and let you get away with it? Well you can die!"

"Aww… and Hime said I couldn't kill you. That's just too bad." He said, before grabbing the man again, an evil look in his eyes regardless.

XxXxX

Two officers walked out of the coffee shop they had been in, heading to their car. It was a quiet night and nothing had really happened at all.

They got into their vehicle and started it up, hearing a few conversations over the radio. They glanced at one another and shrugged.

"It's gonna be another boring night, huh?" The driver asked.

"Looks like it." His partner stated.

"Eh, well, we better get back on duty." He replied, before turning up to adjust the mirror. He shouted at what he saw behind him and both officers looked into the backseat to find the famous Yakuza leader and his assistant both bound and gagged in the back seat.

XxXxX

Back at the apartment, Hichigo was very confused when Orihime wouldn't speak to him and only forced him to sit down in bed so that she could heal his injuries. Oh, he knew something was wrong, because he was a perceptive hollow.

"Hime-" He was about to give up and asked, but she pressed the wet rag she had against his lips to silence him, before wiping the blood away. After that, she pressed it against the knife wound to his back and held it there.

"I'm sorry…" She told him quietly. "You got hurt because you got distracted by me."

"That was my own fault." He scoffed and crossed his arms. "I should have just ignored your annoying yapping and killed him anyways."

"But… I'm proud of you," His eyes widened at her words, why did those words make him feel good? It made no sense. "for doing the right thing."

"I did good then?" He asked and she nodded, he lowered his head and laid it against her chest, to hear a steady heartbeat there. She grasped his shoulder and pulled him to lie down besides her, allowing him to keep listening to a sound unfamiliar to him.

All walls, all barriers were down. This was all he wanted; nothing else would calm or satisfy him. Nothing.

"Hichigo… tell me… what does it feel like to kill somebody?" She asked and he raised his head a little.

"Why would you wanna know that?"

"Just tell me."

"It doesn't feel like anything. It depends on what you mean… when you cut through somebody with a sword… if it's a clean cut it doesn't feel like anything, but… if it's not… it's kind of like beating a wet towel. Now tell me why you wanna know."

"I want to lean how to fight… my friends keep getting hurt because of me."

"Nevertheless, you're clean. You've got no blood on your hands. Will you really dirty them for your friends?" He asked, reaching down to take one of her hands in his and looking at it.

"I'll do anything to protect the people I love. Will you teach me?"

"On one condition…" He said, eyelids lowering slightly. "you let me sleep in here with you at night."

"Uhm… alright…" She replied, feeling oddly like she had just made a deal with the devil. Speaking of such, when she said those words, he grinned devilishly and laid his head back down. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea in hindsight?

XxXxX

Early that next morning, he'd been eager to start their training, it required them to head out to a remote location, where nobody would find them. That in it's self was dangerous, but she was taking that chance, because she wanted to be able to fight.

Now, she only had a small blade to defend herself with, and she had not the slightest clue where he was. Hiding somewhere, he took it to the extreme the challenge her, he had said he was taking it easy on her, but now she was not so sure.

"Fine! I give up." She called, and he jumped from a tree.

"No. No giving up. You think if you give up in a real fight your enemy will say fine and walk away? Fight back!" He shouted and she barely avoided him. When she felt a slight sting in her cheek, it was apparent, she hadn't been fast enough. He caught her from behind with an arm around her and leaned forward to slowly lick the blood away from the scratch he had just made.

"Stop." She warned with annoyance, not entirely enjoying his saliva on her face. "That's really gross."

"Then fight me! Get angry! Hurt. Me."

"Hichigo…" She was getting irritated with him; he was just making her madder. Finally, she'd had enough of his attitude and elbowed him in the gut. It took the breath away from him. Before she tried to swing the blade at him, he jumped away, but when he looked down, he noticed she had actually cut him.

"Good girl." He said, standing up straight she could see the slash across his stomach and felt bad.

"But I-"

"No. That's what I wanted. You're getting better."

"Hurt you…" She finished and he stared at her for a few minutes.

"You couldn't hurt me even if you tried." He sighed deeply when she sat down for a break, before sitting in front of her. "What now?"

"It's getting late, we should start heading home." She said it, but she didn't get up. So… instead, he stood up and offered his hand.

"I'll get you home." He told her, and she took his hand, while he pulled her up, onto his back, and carried her, while she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was too worn out for training to walk anywhere.

"But, aren't you tired?"

"I'm never tired." He replied casually. "Oh, you know I have to go check my flower. I didn't see it today."

"I think the flower will be fine. You know it's going to take a long time before it will actually grow up don't you?"

"I know. I just wish it would hurry."

"You're impatient." She told him, smiling and he sighed deeply. "Be more patient about things and everything will work out better for you."

"I'll try." He sighed again and turned his head a little to try to see her. "You know… when Ichigo was unconscious… and you were talking to him… when you were saying goodbye. I heard you."

"Y-you heard that? But how? I was supposed to be-"

"Who knows. I just know that I heard you." He replied and she flushed. "Did you really mean that? If you had different lives you would really fall in love with him every time?"

"At the time… yes." She whispered quietly, burying her face in his shirt. "But now… I wonder if that's true."

He blinked a few times, shocked by her confession, wondering what it meant. Normally he was sure of himself, but with her, he was not.

XxXxX

That next morning Orihime had gone to school, Hichigo decided to sneak out, as he was not suppose to, but this was important.

One man and one man alone could, only answer this very important question. He sighed deeply and entered the shop.

"Hey? Anybody here?" He asked, looking around.

"Oh, Ichigo's hollow. What can I do for you?" Kisuke asked, exiting a backroom.

"Well… I've got to ask you something…" He said slowly, and Kisuke nodded, waiting for the question, but the hollow seemed reluctant. "well… I was wondering… how… to be… well… uhm…"

"Yes?" Kisuke urged.

"How do you be romantic?" Hichigo asked, shuddering slightly as if the words disgusted him. "I was gonna asked Ichigo, but then I realized he's too much of an idiot to know anything about that."

"Why thank you for consulting me with such a thing. I will gladly help." Kisuke pulled up a chair. "Now my odd hollow friend. Have a seat… as I will explain women… to the best of my knowledge."

"Well… I have tried watching a bunch of her weird girly movies. They helped a little bit."

"Girls are easy to talk to once you figure them out. All you have to do is flatter them a bit. Compliment the lady. In addition, if she starts talking about something boring like dolls and curtains, just nod your head and keep saying yes. Never fails."

"Oh for… are you really that thick?" Hiyori yelled, stomping out of the back room. "Not all women talk about dolls and curtains you know! Some of us actually have other, more intelligent things to talk about then that."

"Yes." Kisuke said, nodding, before he was kicked out of his chair. As the two fought and wrecked the shop, Hichigo slowly backed out.

"I'm leaving now." He called and disappeared out the door.

"Hey!" Hiyori said, hold Kisuke in a headlock. "You want to do something romantic? Make her dinner."

"Right…" He replied, before exiting. He wondered what in the world he was thinking going to that insane man. Surly a girl herself would know more. Therefore, he would try Hiyori's suggestion first.

So that was exactly what he tried to do. And 'try' being the operative word here. First, he was forced to read a cookbook, tilting it this way and that, pursing his lips in confusion.  
>Second, he attempted to start cutting some vegetables, before accidentally cutting his hand and holding it in agony for a good fifteen minutes.<p>

Next he tried to boil some water, tossing the rag over his shoulder onto the counter, he was getting the hang of it. He then proceeded to cut up some meat, at least cutting things up was his specialty. The next second he smelled smoke and his shoulders slumped, while he looked over to find the rag he'd set down had caught fire, too close to the flame.

"Damnit!" He shouted and grabbed a bottle of water and dumped it over the rag, sighing in relief. If he burned the apartment down, Orihime would kick his ass. "Why is this so difficult?" He wondered aloud, grabbing his hair in frustration. He sighed and crossed his arms. "All I want to do is make her dinner."

And this time Hichigo started from scratch, but this time it seemed he hadn't messed anything up so far, after all, he was a fast learner.  
>It seemed right as he was finishing things and done setting the table the door opened. He was certainly proud of himself for doing a good job the second time around.<p>

The door opened and he held his hands behind his back to hide the fact that they were shaking with nervousness, but the big grin of his faded when he saw the familiar black and white uniforms.

"Oh! Let me guess… Byakuya and… Renji… right?" Hichigo asked, trying to keep his expression passive. He jumped behind the counter and barely avoided a slash of a blade.

He cursed. He didn't have a Zanpakut

ō, he was really at a disadvantage, but that didn't mean he couldn't win. It didn't give him much time to think as Renji jumped back with him and barely avoided another cut, he slammed his shoulder into Renji, knocking him over, while he jumped past Byakuya.

The apartment was too small, Byakuya slashed him across the back, and Renji appeared besides him, they knocked him through the glass and onto the small outside area. He looked up in sadness when he saw the flower he worked so hard to give life, was now shattered and broken on the ground. It was a heartbreaking defeat. He knew that Orihime would be home soon, she could not come home to this.

"You will come back with us for trial of your crimes, hollow." Byakuya ordered, raising his sword into Hichigo's face, the sharp edge of the blade gleaning in light. Renji remained silent.

"I'll come quietly… only if you leave Hime alone." He requested holding his hands up in the air.

"Very well." Byakuya said and lowered his Zanpakutō, sheathing it and turning to leave, while Renji grabbed the hollow.

"I'm sorry." Renji whispered quietly behind him, before it went black.

XxXxX

Orihime arrived back at her apartment; she pushed the door open and found it odd that the lights were turned off.

"Hichigo?" She called, before flicking on the light. She stepped forward and slid in a wet puddle, she quickly looked down to find it was blood. She didn't waste a second in grabbing the phone, she paused only for a second when she saw the table had been set. _Hichigo_… she thought. "Ichigo?"

XxXxX

Hichigo was tossed into a prison cell, only to find he wasn't alone. He sat up and crossed his arms, while staring. This was surprising.

"They caught you too, huh, Rukia?" He asked and she glared at him.

"Only because of you."

"Only because me." He stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same, both annoyed with another. "Hey what about Ichigo?"

"He's speaking with Byakuya ." She replied, becoming a little more serious. "I don't know what's going to happen."

"I guess either way, it's the end for me."

"Yeah…" She gave him an odd look. "I-I… I'm sorry."

"Hey, will you guys take care of Hime for me?"

"Of course we will." Rukia said, still staring at him, eyes softening a little. "You… really care about her don't you?"

"Don't get me wrong. Everything in me wants to kill her, wants to devour ever bit of her." He smirked as her look changed to disgust. "But… well… I just can't bring myself to do it."

"You're a monster." She told him and he leaned a hand on his chin. The cell door opened and Ichigo was pushed in. "Ichigo." Rukia quickly stood up and set a hand over his injured shoulder. "What did he say?"

"… I can't do anything. It's over for him." Ichigo said, staring at the ground. "I'm sorry. We're to be held here until his execution is over."

"I thought this was a trial?" Hichigo asked, stepping forward.

"That's what they call it, but it's just a ruse." Rukia replied, she and Ichigo were surprised when he started laughing.

"Hehehe. Unbelievable. What a way to go. Death by a silly girl."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"I only gave up so Orihime would be safe."

XxXxX

Orihime ran into Kisuke's shop and froze when she saw him nursing a nasty bruise on his jaw, from who knew what.

"I need your help!"

"Oh, is this about that suggestion I made to him? Well… he probably took it too seriously." Kisuke said.

"What are you talking about?" Orihime asked, staring at him and almost forgetting the emergency. "But, Hichigo was taken!"

"Taken? The Soul Society got him then?"

"Yes! And I need your help to find him."

"I don't know…" He stared at the look on her face and his resolved crumbled. "Alright. We'll see what we can do."

"What do you mean we?" A voice shouted and he flinched. Uh-oh.

XxXxX

Not long after their conversation, the guards came to get the hollow, Ichigo stood in front of them, but they simple hit him and pushed him out of the way.

The guards grabbed Hichigo and forced him out, a small smirk playing on his lips as he was taken out of the cell.

"Cowards!" Ichigo yelled, banging on the bars with frustration. Hichigo squinted slightly in the bright light of the outside as they brought him out into a courtyard. All the societies' captains were watching from afar.

Back in the cells, Ichigo paced back and forth, before the door opened again and he looked up about to curse out whoever was there, but his jaw dropped.

"Oh, no, not you." Ichigo said, while Kisuke pulled off his hat and smiled at them.

"Somebody ordered a prison break." He laughed and Orihime appeared behind him.

"Ichigo, Rukia." She said. "I came to help!"

"Orihime, how?" Rukia said in surprise, because to be honest, it was the last person they expected to come to the rescue.

"We better hurry up." Kisuke urged, cutting in, but nobody disagreed this time. They charged out into the open and Kisuke broke the lock off the cabinet that held their Zanpakutō.

XxXxX

"What's the matter, Tōshirō?" Hinamori asked the troubled young man in front of her.

"Do you agree with this?" He asked, indicating the hollow that was about to be executed.

"Do you?"

"No. He is not like any hollow I have ever seen. You know I am good at knowing peoples motives. His don't seem to be anything malicious."

"But, Shiro-chan, he IS a hollow." She stated.

"No, I know that. What I am saying… is that he just does not seem like the rest. I do not think this is entirely right. He isn't even getting a fair trial."

"Oh, well… I guess you're right if we look at it like that."

"Yes. I tried talking to Byakuya, but it did not go so well. Rukia had said he wasn't being rational about this. She was right. I-" He was about to finish speaking when he noticed the group that crashed through the doors, all falling over one anther. "Wha… what is this!"

"Ah! Captain Hitsugaya!" Rukia said in shock, they all got up from the pile they had fallen in, untangling themselves from one another. Kisuke picked his hat up and dusted it off.

"You're supposed to be in jail…" He paused. "Are you breaking out? To save that hollow?"

"Yes, and we won't let you stop us." Ichigo stated, stepping forward.

"I'm with you." Tōshirō said without hesitation.

"If Shiro-chan is with you then so am I." Hinamori added, grabbing the young captain's sleeve.

"Right." Ichigo nodded. "Let's hurry then!"

XxXxX

"Hollow, for crimes against the Soul Society and the human realm, you are sentenced to death!" Hichigo winced slightly at those words, and looked up at the man above him that raised his sword over his head.

The Soul Reaper brought the sword down and he waited for his life to end, but when nothing happened, he looked up slowly.

"Ichigo?" He shouted, finding that Ichigo had blocked the man's weapon with his own. Hichigo didn't waste a second and kicked the man in the gut, where he flew back several feet and hit a wall.

Ichigo tossed him a sword and he stared at it for a second. _wow, this thing is really boring. _He thought, but raised it as the two went back to back.

"Alright, Hichi… looks like this is it. All or nothing."

"What are you even doing here?"

"Orihime broke us out."

"She's here?" Hichigo asked in shock, a little fear taking over. He had given up so she could be safe, but if she were here, she would make him lose, just like Ichigo. It did not matter, he would protect her. "Well… looks like it's time to destroy some things. Goody."

"Stop them!" Byakuya ordered and before they knew it they were surrounded, Byakuya was about to step out onto the battlefield, before Rukia jumped down in front of him. "Rukia. What is this?"

"I am sorry, Onii-sama, but Hichigo… he is a good hollow. He is not heartless. We can't let you kill him!"

"And you'll stand in my way?" He asked, she bit her lip, before nodding. "Then I'll have to move you."

"Now!" Rukia shouted and before Byakuya knew it, he had Tōshirō and Hinamori's swords to his throat.

"A clever trick, Rukia." Byakuya said, lowering his own sword. "You cannot hold me here for long. Reinforcements will arrive."

"Not this time." Kisuke said, sitting on top of the gate, Byakuya's eyes lowered to find that the ex-captain had blocked the bulky doors of the gate. Nobody was getting through it now.

Back in the field, Hichigo smirked, now it was time to kick some ass. He had been waiting for this for a long time! He blocked a swing from a man, dodged, rolled and hit him over the back of the head with the hilt of his sword.  
>Ichigo was engaged in his own fight, but even still he seemed surprised that he had not killed that man, surprised, but glad.<p>

"Interesting." A voice said and Hichigo turned to find that damn scientist.

"You!" He shouted, raising his sword.

"I wouldn't mind getting you back into my lab. It seems you've become quiet the interesting specimen."

"Like hell!"

"I here the hollow has been living with a human. It was used as a bargaining chip. Maybe if I captured your human…" He trailed and Hichigo growled, baring his teeth as he attacked the man. Mayuri avoided it, but barely. However, it was enough to cut the hollow across the back.

Hichigo saw red. He would not lose to this monster before him; he would destroy him and tear him to a thousand little pieces. He felt the rage coming on, before his black mask started to form and Mayuri finally started to take this seriously.

Ichigo turned to see it and his eyes grew wide, he quickly touched his face and realized that he wouldn't be able to use his mask anymore, because his hollow had it and worst of all… he was changing.

"What did you do?" Ichigo asked Mayuri in irritation.

"Nothing, nothing. Well… I may have tried to blackmail him." Both men shouted as they barely avoided the bull hollows sharp claws. He had gone berserker on them.

"Hey! Why are you attacking me?" Ichigo asked, again having to dodge the attack. _Oh, no. he's lost control._ He thought.

Back with their 'hostage' everyone looked over to find that the very one they rescued was who they themselves would now need rescue from.

"I told you, he must be destroyed." Byakuya stated, arms crossed unhappily. It was at that moment, that Orihime arrived with somebody they ALL feared. "Captain-commander Yamamoto!"

The captain-commander said nothing, but his gaze turned towards to fight.

"I-I brought the captain-commander…" Orihime said, but her gaze was as well drawn to the monster hollow wrecking havoc on the rest of the Soul Reapers.

"And this is the beast you've requested I save?" Yamamoto asked, rubbing his chin in curiosity.

"H-he isn't like this! I swear!" Orihime told the man and he raised a single eyebrow. She didn't waste time, before anybody could stop her she ran out into the field.

"Orihime! No! He's too dangerous!" Rukia yelled and quickly glanced back at her Onii-sama, he only started at the girl that was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

"Hey!" A soul reaper said, stepping in her path. "Where do you think you're going girly?"

"Please, step aside!" She begged, but the man smirked.

"And how are you going to stop me?" He asked, taking a step forward, but he didn't even expect the knee to the groin he got, before he was hit over the back of the head.

"I do not have time for you!" Orihime shouted, leaving the man to roll around on the ground in agony and hold his 'boys'.

There was a big explosion as Ichigo, Mayuri and a few others ducked. Out of the smoke, the hollow emerged, tossed a couple men out of his way, before he grabbed Mayuri by the throat, and slammed him into the ground.

He squeezed tighter, claws drawing blood. Mayuri sliced at his arm with his sword, trying to break away from the hollow, but it appeared useless. The hollow just growled, tail swishing behind him slowly as he chocked the life out of the man under him.

"Hichigo, stop!" A very, very familiar voice ordered and the hollow froze, straightening up a little. He tossed his target into a wall and turned to find that his prey was very small and helpless.

"Orihime! Get away from him!" Ichigo shouted, from his position across the field. He glanced at Mayuri, who was injured seriously, but alive.

"Hichigo! Please, stop this!" She begged and the very large hollow slowly approached her, fingers spreading out and long claws glinting in the sunlight. "Listen to me. Please."

He stopped right in front of her and raised the arm a little, but before he could do anything, the hollow was embraced tightly. His eye twitched slightly and he looked down at the weak human embracing him, with tears dripping onto his bare stomach.

He growled quietly and she stepped back, reaching for a large clawed hand. He made an odd sound, tilting his head to the side as she set the hand over her chest.

"Do you feel that?" She asked and golden eyes shimmered as they started at her. "You make my heart do odd things."

A short chocking sound escaped and he dropped to his knees, while the mask cracked and crumbled, along with the rest of the hollow skin, before all that was left was what she knew. She dropped to her knees, front of him, and embraced him tightly.

"Hime…" He whispered quietly. "The flowers are gone now."

"No. They are never gone. They can be uprooted sometimes, but they can still survive."

"You believe that?" He asked, tightening his grip on her. "Hime… I-"

"Hichigo… I love you too." Orihime said and he slowly raised his head from her shoulder. He cupped her face in-between his palms and pressed his lips against hers. She held his hands.

"I… I love you." Hichigo chocked out, before kissing her again. They quickly broke away when they realized Soul Reapers, weapons raised, surrounded them.

"This hollow his been sentenced to death! Step away!" A reaper said, but she shook her head.

"No!" Another voice shouted and all the men shook and just about dropped their weapons as the captain-commander pushed past them. "This… this hollow… is very powerful… and very human. Most of all… very useful to use."

"Surly you can't be serious." Byakuya asked, dumbfounded.

"In fact… fifth still needs a new captain." Yamamoto said and everybody stared at him.

"W-w-well…" Byakuya stuttered. "I… trust your judgment then…"

"You, hollow…" The captain-commander said, stepping forward. "You cannot live in the human world, but will you join us? Will you help us fight those hollows that wish to devour humans?"

Hichigo glanced at Orihime and she smiled at him, he stood up and helped her to stand as well, before he turned towards Yamamoto.

"Well… I guess its better then getting my head lopped off." He said and heard Kisuke, Ichigo and Rukia laughing somewhere in the back. "I'll do it."

XxXxX

Captain Shirosaki Hichigo of the fifth division. It was an honorable title for a mere hollow and it was very hard to be accepted, but he never entirely cared for what a bunch of Soul Reapers thought of him.

He liked it, he didn't know why, but he liked being something important. Maybe Ichigo had rubbed off on him more then he knew. Either way, he enjoyed what he did. He didn't have a Zanpakutō, but he didn't need one and never had.

Those few that had been on his side from the beginning had thrown him a welcoming party; Soul Reapers had never accepted him so warmly. It was a drastic change.

Ichigo had been there, Rukia was there, Toshiro was there with that Momo girl he liked so much although Hichigo knew the little guy would never admit to such a thing. And that Rangiku with the giant… well… you get the point. She was there. Renji was there, but most important out of them… was Orihime.

He sat in the quietness of his officer, watered his flower with a grin, before he turned back to toss his paperwork into a drawer for later.

"Come on! Hurry it up and get out here to party!" He heard a drunken Rangiku shout.

"Patients are a virtue!" He shouted back, remembering when Orihime told him that, he even heard Hime laugh, knowing that she remembered the day she explained patients to him. He gave one last glance at the flower and smiled contently, before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

In the windowsill sat a beautiful white flower, glowing in the gentle moonlight. Raised with love and care, yet firm discipline and much patients, the flower had finally bloomed and it truly was the most beautiful out of them all.

XxXxX

The End

Alright! Now there was an end. Although... I'm thinking about a bonus chapter. What do you guys think? Just one having fun with Hichi as a captain. I think it was be so... (drools) interesting... to see him dressed in a captain's uniform. I've got to find somebody to draw that for me. lol. :p

Anywho... Thanks so much for reading my first Bleach fanfic, leave a review, have a wonderful day and God Bless.


	5. Chapter 5

Bonus chapter

XxXxX

Captain Shirosaki Hichigo of the fifth division, was currently engaged in a pile of hell- uh, he meant… paper work. When there were a few noises from the next room, his left eye twitched slightly in irritation.

**_Crash! Thud!_** He sighed and scowled, before hunching over his desk slightly more and trying to work on this damn work. **_Boom!_**

"That's it!" Hichigo shouted, slamming his hands down on the table, before briskly opening the sliding door. His jaw dropped at his lieutenant fighting with the tenth's captain.

"Momo bed-wetter!" Hitsugaya said in irritation, arms crossed over his chest.

"You-you… Meany Shiro-chan!" Momo whined in annoyance.

"It's captain!"

Neither noticed him standing there, before he shook his head. He gritted his teeth, grabbed Momo around the waste and Toshiro by the back of his uniform and started dragging them.

"Captain Shirosaki!" Momo cried.

"What do you think you're doing? I am a captain as well! Don't underestimate me!" He shouted at the hollow, before glaring at Momo. "And… you call _HIM _captain, but not me?"

"That's beside the point." She replied, before they both shouted as the hollow captain tossed them in a closet and closed the door.

Smirking, Hichigo locked the door, dusting his hands off.

"Now shut up and sort it out like adults and stop actin' like kids!" He shouted, jaw twisting up into a crooked grin. He liked being the one in charge for once, turning around he froze when he saw Rangiku.

"I was going to ask if you'd seen the captain, but…" Rangiku trailed slowly.

"You got a problem with this?" He asked, jerking a thumb at the door behind him.

"Oh, not at all. I think it's a good idea actually." Laughing at him and he smirked. Glad she agreed with him.

"HEY! Hichi!" A voice yelled from outside.

"I'll let them out later." Rangiku told him and he nodded, before heading off to see what he was being called for.

"Oi! Ichigo, you're interrupting my work! I was almost half way through the mountain of hell." He said in a displeased voice, but froze when he was tackled in a hug. "Hime! What are you doin' here?"

"Ichigo and Rukia brought me with them to see you." She said happily. "Did you miss me at all?"

"Course I missed ya'! What kinda question is that?"

"Uhhh," Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck nervously, while Rukia didn't seem to care either way; however she noticed that her friend was a little perturbed with the scene before them. He still wasn't comfortable with his hollow being out. "We're going to get going. We'll pick you up on the way back."

"Eh, what's his problem?" The hollow asked in irritation. At least he wasn't stuck in that morons head anymore.

"I think he's just worried still." Orihime answered, straightening the white of his uniform that showed his status as captain.

"Everybody still won't trust me fully." He frowned, not that he really cared, but it still annoyed him. Not like, he had killed anybody or anything.

"Well… you did kind of have that incident where you went full hollow on everybody. Including Ichigo."

"That was once… and that jerk Captain Ass threatened using you against me. I don't like that."

"Hichigo…" Orihime gasped and he stared at her silently for a moment. "You did turn into a big softy!"

"I-I I did not!" He said, flushing slightly. "Makes me wonder what weird things are goin' through your head."

"You don't have to get so embarrassed." She told him and he frowned slightly.

"Oh, you're one to talk about being embarrassed. You won't even let me kiss you when there are people around!"

"That's different! People shouldn't kiss in public."

"Plenty of people do it!" He stated with the utmost confidence.

"Well… I don't like to. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Are you ashamed of me or something?"

"No, no, no! It's not like that." She tried to assure him, but she frowned when a slow gin appeared on his face.

"Prove it." He said, crossing his arms over his chest. She carefully glanced around, sighing deeply she reached up and kissed him. All of a sudden there were a few whistles and cheers and 'go captain' s thrown in. he pulled back and glared at the reapers. "Get outta here!"

"That's what I meant…" She muttered, pouting a little.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'll deal with them later." He draped an arm over her should and led her back to the barracks. Just as he stepped through the doorframe, he heard a shout.

"You cannot escape wrong death!" Before it, all went black.

Everybody frozen when the two bumbling idiots from the division accidentally knocked out their Captain in their frenzied fight.

"You guys… are probably dead when he wakes up." Rangiku said, pointing at the unconscious captain, Orihime stood there with a hand pressed over her mouth in shock.

When Hichigo came to, he noticed the fan in front of his face, blink several times he sat up, before grabbing his head.

"Ugh… what happened?" He asked, and then it hit him. "Ohh… those two… they're going to die!"

"Take it easy Captain Shirosaki." Momo urged, Toshiro rolled his eyes from behind her at the 'captain' part. "It was an accident."

"I was worried, Hichi!" Orihime said, hugging him tightly from the side.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, Hime." He told her, turning towards her slightly.

"Oh, I forgot to mention… I have some files that need your attention." Rangiku told him, dropping a big stack of papers and adding to the mountain of hell. He slapped a hand to his face.

"Wonderful…"

XxXxX

End

Hope you guys enjoyed. ^^


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